Pakistan South Africa ODI Series 
1st Match Played at Centurion Park, Gauteng, South Africa 

Pakistan 274/7 in 50 Overs (Babar Azam 103, Imam Ul Huq 70, Mohammad Rizwan 40, Faheem Ashraf 33, Anrich Nortje 4/51, Andile Phehlukwayo 2/ 56) 
South Africa 273/6 (Rasie van der Dussen 123*, David Miller 50, Andile Phehlukwayo 29, Shahin Shah Afridi 2/61, Haris Rauf 2/72)

Pakistan Won by 3 Wickets on the last ball of the match
Player Of The Match: Babar Azam 

In a thrilling encounter of fluctuating fortune Pakistan beat South Africa in a photo finish by 3 wickets. The match went to the wire . Pakistan cruising at 6/256 in the 48th over had to wait till the last ball of the match for strking home the win. Earlier South Africa riding on brilliant unbeaten 123 by Rasie van der Dussen recovering 4/55 scored a challenging total of 273/6. Pakistan was looking good at 2/186. But once their champion batsman Babar Azam (103) and opener Imam Ul Haq (70) got out in quick succession, Nortje  (4/ 51) bowling at pace almost turned the table on the tourist. Lucky that Shadab Khan (30)  after failing to impress with the ball contributed . Pakistan raced across the finishing tape but only just scoring 274/7. The winning shot came on the last ball. 

Needless mentioning that it was battle of sizzling pace. Shahin Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain for Pakistan and Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje all bowl at 140 plus.  Watching them in action at lively wicket of centurion Park , the memory of watching Roberts , Holding , Marshal and Garner for West Indies against Lille , Thomson, Walker flashed back. Pakistan went with “Horses For The Courses” for their South Africa tour. The three had the back up of skiddy Fahim Ashraf and leg spinner Shadab Khan. Babar Azam winning the toss rightly elected to field. In South Africa visitors from South Asia usually struggle early on wickets of steep bounce. Shahin Afridi , Hasnain and Faheem did not take long to reduce home team to 4/55 . Quinton de Cock, Aiden Markram, new Captain Tenda Bahuma and Henrich Klasssen were back in the pavilion. With back to the wall Rasie vander Dussen (123*) mixing dogged defense with brave intermittent strokes carried on mission recovery. His 116 runs 5th wicket partnership with David Miller (50) saved the day.  273/6 appeared far better score than what it looked like after Pakistani pacers made early inroads. 123 not out that Rasie ended up contained 10 fours and two sixes. Miller scored quick fire 50 in 56 balls.

Pakistan reply started disastrously with Rabada cleaning out Fakar Zaman early. This brought in Champion Pakistani batsman Captain Babar Azam (103) pairing with quality opener Imam Ul Haq (70). World cricket witnessed yet again why some people rate Babar as good as Virat Kohli. He weathered very hostile Rabada, Ngidi and Nortje together with Imam. Their second wicket partnership of 177 put Pakistan on course. But once Nortje got rid of both in quick succession Pakistan innings stuttered. It became anybody’s game though Rizwan (40) and Shadab Khan (30) kept the flame burning. Pakistan managed to pull off a spectacular win on the last ball scoring 274/7.

Babar was adjudged player of the match which I thought should have been shared with Rasie van der Dussen. 

BDST: 1200 HRS, APR 03, 2021
SMS